Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/04/21

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Subject: The autofocus Leica M
From: Charles E. Dunlap <cdunlap@rupture.ucsc.edu>
Date: Sun, 21 Apr 96 17:50:03 -0700
 
There's been some prognosticating here recently about a Leica competitor 
to the G1, something that will be available alongside the M6. In a review 
of the new autofocus Contax AX in the April '96 Photon (online) the 
author makes a relevant observation.

-Charlie

>Where the Contax does provide a valuable pointer is in the future for an 
>autofocus Leica fully compatible with the M
>system. Remove the need to move a viewing system, and only the film plane 
>and shutter need to shunt. For technical
>reasons, any focal plane shutter must stay a constant distance from the 
>film surface, or its faster shutter speeds will no
>longer be constant. By providing any lens with an 'AF' lock position at 
>its closest focus and focal length identifier;
>a possible retro-conversion; an external AF rangefinder could be 
>made to move the film plane forwards,
>eliminating the need for a much deeper body. 


Charles E. Dunlap
Earth Sciences Dept.
University of California
Santa Cruz, CA 95064